From my journal, Tanzania Safari 2009 (Feb. 24 – Mar. 9)
Day 10: 3am I cannot sleep, twice during the night I unzip the tent and step out onto our deck, shining my flashlight deep into the bush searching for the source of the commotion. The Hyenas start their patrols early, often passing close to our tent.
4:45am Lions ‘huffing’ in a chorus around the camp – I hope everyone hears them. A fitting pre-cursor to what lies ahead because today we will drive back across the Serengeti and drop down into the wonders of the Ngorongora Crater.
I wish you could have been there with us as we tapped into the jewels of Tanzania. From being surrounded by elephants in the Tarangire, sipping Sundowners atop Kikoti Rock, having a cheetah posing with her four cubs beside our vehicles, or dancing with the Maasai in their boma, our small group piled encounter upon encounter. And Africa gave us her best. If you are interested in joining us on a future safari, please click on the Safari tab for more information about our next adventure.
Only the brilliance of Africa could have overshadowed our great start to 2009. The Dallas Safari Club Convention belied the constant current of reports about a stagnant economy. Always a fun event for showing the range of my wildlife, it was also the perfect setting for unveiling my newest piece with Texas Longhorns, “The Look of Legends”. The only domesticated species I have any interest in portraying, the tough Longhorn has been to the edge of extinction and then fought back through its ability to outwit its adversaries and adapt to its environment. Not just for Texas anymore, this amazing survivor is a wonderful symbol of our past and our present that resonates in the rich heritage of the American West.
Look of Legends
Reno, Nevada for the Safari Club International Convention was our next destination. We always savor the international flavor of this show and the chance to reconnect with our more far-flung group of collectors. The mix of accents from every corner of the globe strikes a chord when I hear those from Africa and it simultaneously makes me yearn for sights still unseen when I hear those from Asia and Russia. Will I ever satisfy this need to see the creatures and meet the people from the most remote regions of the earth? To capture them in their natural settings as they were meant to be seen? No! That is my duty and my pledge.
New Works
Nearing completion, “Nothing Butt Tails”, will be in print before Memorial Day. Delayed by our safari and several personal emergencies, this flight of warthogs is almost ready to take off. Lacking in physical appeal, it truly is a case of personality that makes this tough little creature irresistible. It was great fun watching the reaction of our safari group each time we encountered a family of warthogs. Tails whipping like warning flags on dune buggies, they brought laughter and frustration every time we tried to slip up on them. Even the tiniest piglets bolting out of sight had their tails high in alert mode.
The ‘warts’ on mature warthogs easily identify the sex with four on the male’s face and two on the female’s. Their tusks, used for digging up roots, become wicked scythes when it comes to defense. Considered a tasty morsel by many predators, they often find they have a fight on their hands before this little character becomes their dinner.
On My Drawing Table
Coming next will be a series of Scratchboard pieces from our safari. These smaller works always give me an opportunity to test themes for larger Pen & Ink works. They let me abandon the tight constraints of my pens for the freedom of the scratchboard medium and give you a chance to find a small original to add to your collection.
Following those, the concept for an imposing Cape Buffalo is forming in my mind. Startling an old bull at a mud hole outside our camp one evening, I can still see the spray of water sparkling in the light as he swung his massive head to face us. The image is taunting me as I add the final touches on “Nothing Butt Tails”.